Woman Charged In Boy's Beating

June 29, 1995|by SUSAN RUIZ PATTON, The Morning Call

A Bethlehem woman was charged with beating her girlfriend's 8-year-old son and with throwing a bar of soap at him.

The boy was treated at St. Luke's Hospital for swollen head injuries and bruises and scratches over his body, police said. Hospital spokesman Steve Andrews refused to release details of the boy's treatment or condition.

Maria Ivette Merced, 24, of 130-1/2 Graham Place, Bethlehem, was sent to Northampton County Prison under $50,000 bail on charges of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child.

The following account was detailed in the affidavit of probable cause for Merced's arrest, filed in district court:

Bethlehem police learned of the assault from a caseworker for Northampton County's Department of Human Services who received an anonymous telephone call Tuesday night. The caseworker was told the child had been beaten. She called police and they went to Merced's home together.

The boy was seated on the couch in the living room. He had visible bruises on his face. Lorenzo Culver, who was in the house, told police Merced had injured the child about 6 p.m. Monday.

Merced threw a bar of soap at the boy while he was in the shower, Culver told police.

He directed them to the second floor of the home, where he said Merced was hiding. Police checked but could not find her.

The boy was taken to the hospital because of the severity of his injuries, but police did not elaborate.

While being examined, the boy told police Merced threw the soap at him because he had been "bad" and had been "acting up." The boy tried to cover himself up to avoid being hit with the soap, so she punched him, he told police.

Merced was found at the home a short time later and was taken into custody.